MADAGASCAR HISSING COCKROACH

(Gromphadorhina portentosa)

ABOUT THE MADAGASCAR HISSING COCKROACH

STATUS IN THE WILD

They are not threatened at the moment. Hissing cockroaches are important nutrient recyclers in the Madagascan forests. The dry forests in which they live are amongst the most threatened of all the habitats in Madagascar, due to slash-and-burn agriculture and mining activities.

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HABITAT

Only found in Madagascar, mostly on the floor of the tropical forest.

DIET

Omnivores, they feed on various plants and animal matter.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you touch one, it may hiss at you! The hiss is so loud it can be heard from 12 feet away.

They have a hard exoskeleton for protection.

They are incredibly important on the rainforest floor, clearing away dead plants and returning them as fertilizer.